Police on Tuesday arrested Javed Ahmad Mir, former chief of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), and Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi, founder of the Islamic Students League, in connection with a nearly three-decade-old militancy-related case.
According to officials, Mir—also known as Javed Nalka, resident of Zaina Kadal—was arrested by Shergarhi Police for his alleged involvement in FIR No. 192/1996, registered on 17 July 1996 under Sections 341, 148, 336, 332 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act, and Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He has been detained at Police Station Shergarhi for further legal proceedings.
Before shifting to separatist politics, Mir served as the commander-in-chief of JKLF during the early 1990s.
Shakeel Bakshi Also Detained
Police also arrested Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi from Bemina. Bakshi founded the Islamic Students League and later joined JKLF before parting ways with the group.
Case Linked to 1996 Naaz Crossing Clashes
Police said Mir and Bakshi, along with others, led a large procession in July 1996 while carrying the body of slain militant Hilal Ahmad Beigh. The procession allegedly turned violent at Naaz Crossing, where the mob:
- clashed with police,
- engaged in stone pelting and rioting,
- raised anti-India slogans, and
- caused damage to public property.
The then SHO of Shergarhi had attempted to stop the crowd but was met with aggression.
According to the FIR, those accused of provoking the mob include:
- Syed Ali Shah Geelani (deceased)
- Abdul Gani Lone (deceased)
- Mohammad Yaqoob Wakeel (deceased)
- Shabir Shah (in Tihar Jail)
- Nayeem Ahmad Khan (in Tihar Jail)
- Javed Ahmad Mir
- Shakeel Bakshi
Case Revived After 29 Years
With the arrest of Mir and Bakshi, police sources said the long-pending case—lying dormant for nearly 29 years—is expected to gain momentum as legal procedures move toward conclusion.
